


At What Cost?

by Marichat247_Quack



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Butterfly, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Identity Reveal, Identity Reveal, Kidnapping, Ladybug is Kidnapped, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, Marinette is kidnapped, Plagg is a Little Shit (Miraculous Ladybug), Violence, completedfanfic, funread, miraculous - Freeform, papillion - Freeform, secretmessage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29505057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marichat247_Quack/pseuds/Marichat247_Quack
Summary: Ladybug, the new guardian struggles to keep her life together and gets herself caught off guard.In this fanfic, Ladybug is kidnapped and tortured by a new akuma until she reveals what hawkmoth wants to hear...Will chat noir make it in time?and all at what cost...
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Emilie Agreste & Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	1. Another night, Another patrol

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic is likely to be completed within the next week!

She had no fear of falling off. At least not while her shame was masked, and her identity was a secret. It slowly killed her, she did it, she let that happen. Master fu got to live a normal life. But at what cost?

Red and black spotted legs swung off the Eiffel tower, almost as if she was in a good mood.

Almost.

Her thoughts made her head pound, after everything that had happened. Miracle Queen. Master fu. Hawkmoth. It was too much, she almost wanted to end it.

Almost.

The stress, the pain, the regret, and the secret identity was too much, not almost, it was too much.

She nearly fell to tears, she nearly jumped off the Eiffel tower that very minute. She couldn’t do that to Paris, how selfish.

Cladded armour made its way onto the Eiffel tower and propped up behind her, she didn’t even care if it was her cat or someone here to kidnap or end her.

She could hear the figure walk to her side yet, she didn’t even move.

“Bugaboo…?” His voice was light and calm, but deep down terrified.

It had only been a week, but Ladybug was clearly broken.

He sat down and dangled his legs, shuffling closer till there was a friendly distance between the two.

“Are you okay?”

What a stupid thing to ask she clearly wasn’t, stupid Adrien.

“Do you want to talk about it, bugaboo?”

Her head was down, she was fiddling with her costume, though hearing every word.

Suddenly she stopped, her legs stopped swinging and she stopped moving as if she was frozen in place.

Then a tear caressed her cheek on her right side, so he was unaware. At least that was the case until it fell, almost like ladybug wanted to.

“Ladybug!” Chat noir was startled, the only time this had happened was when they first acquired their miraculous. She didn’t cry then, but it was the only time she had her guard down.

Chat pulled his lady into one of the biggest hugs possible, they were a team, but they weren’t usually affectionate towards each other.

Ladybug’s eyes widened, it wasn’t what she expected, but it was what she needed.

After a few minutes of ladybug only just making contact to his back in an attempt to return the hug chat let go.

They made eye contact. He didn’t realize how much she had cried on his shoulder. Watery eyes met his and he dropped his hand back to his lap.

“I’m sorry Chaton…” 

This wasn’t an emotional apology, but it seemed meant for something of the future.

Slowly Chat caught on that his lady was slowly slipping deliberately.

Terrified he aggressively pulls her over so that she is lying in his arms.

“Never… you will never leave me ladybug.”

His lady watched as a tear trickled down his cheek matching her emotion.

“YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME I PROMISE,”

This only made more wet tears rush down both of their faces.

“I love you, ladybug…”

He didn’t expect anything from his lady but silence, he was petrified for her in every way.

“But at what cost Chaton?”


	2. unconscious

Suddenly it wasn’t just Ladybug’s emotions that were screaming, the city turned to wreak.

“Akuma Chat,”

He was only glaring into the city now. He clearly knew.

Ladybug stood, followed by chat but at a slower pace.

She released her yoyo from her belt ready to swing it when she looked over at chat.

He was petrified, the thought of losing him was unbearable too.

“My lady…”

He sent chills down her spine, the desire for another moment of peace was longed for.

Both propelled to the scene of the akuma.

An unsettling feeling coursed through Chat's veins when he took one look at the akuma.

Looking over he saw ladybug with confidence he didn’t know she still had.

She wasn’t confident, she just looked it, scared of failure, scared of what the akuma brought to the table, and scared of losing.

Ladybug had learned to never judge a book by its cover, but she was still unable to pin-point who was under the silk black mask.

Suddenly the figure turned to dust startling both heroes. Chat’s senses helped him fight off a figure behind him… but it turned to dust.

Looking over at his lady she was still in the same position, yet something was behind her.

Eying the suspect with emerald green lasers he approached slowly, catching ladybug’s attention.

Suddenly it yanked her arm and pulled her back completely throwing off her balance. This one wasn’t dust. Chat surged towards the figure which let go of its victim at the right time.

Ladybug fell on the floor, dizzy, and could only just see the enemy with blurry eyes.

She watched as it bounced around the corner from behind her and then bouncing again when Chat took her place. Then suddenly it leaped forward towards her, picking her up off the ground.

Chat watched as his lady tried to regain her consciousness yet still too weak in the hands of the akuma.

The akuma held ladybug hostage as if with a knife to her throat, but it was a cloth.

Chat realised what was happening and tried to dart towards her but had only just missed, he turned his head to see his lady falling asleep in the arms of the criminal until she was unconscious.

Now angry with the akuma he darted towards it again but came up short and missed.

Ladybug was now hung over the victim’s shoulder.

Chat pulled out his baton and took small steps until the figure turned and ran. He pursued on foot, following his lady, still unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most likely releasing another chapter later tonight!


	3. Silent Screaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love a hostage situation with a bit of violence?
> 
> More is revealed and secrets are long from kept.

Adrien was straight-up depressed, the city was a wreck, and he didn’t know of his lady. The only thing he did know is that he could never give up on her.

He hadn’t heard of his father since the incident, not even Natalie, only the Gorilla. The GPS finally announced their location, Françoise Dupont.

Adrien was still surprised he was even going to school, since there had been no sign of the akuma or the city’s heroes the school stayed open. Especially since his dad would never usually let him out during something this big.

Entering the school ground Adrien only saw sad faces, mostly Alya’s. Marinette had been missing for a week, she was last seen the morning before the akuma.

The bell rang for first period and Adrien joined Nino and Alya who were comforting each other.

Adrien looked around before entering the class, it was a sea of droopy faces. No one had seen Lila either, taking the assumption that she was going to come back and say she took down the supervillain or something. Sabrina had problems of her own, her only friend Chloe had moved to New York with her mother leaving her all alone.

Alya and Nino who were behind Adrien walked past and asked if they could change seats.

Soon everyone had entered. Adrien was sitting in Alya’s seat while she sat in his. He looked over at Marinette’s seat next to him, he had only just begun to develop feelings for her then she vanishes. Adrien even went to the bakery for a treat and some answers, but it only made him more worried.

When night fell Adrien put on his leather cat costume with a simple “claws out” and began his search.

On the night that Ladybug was taken chat noir had lost her in a dark alley after being tricked from illusions.

At least he knew the akuma’s power.

After a night’s worth of following every alleyway’s turn till he found where she was being held, he still had no luck. And decided to retreat for the night.

The only thing he could recall accomplishing was foiling a few criminal plans, even including a jewelry store break-in.

That night Adrien lay wide awake staring up at his ceiling. He hadn’t gotten good sleep for days whereas plagg found it rather easy to do so.

Bored, Adrien checked his phone. He wandered his way to the lady-blog to see a bunch of distressing videos revolving around the new akuma and Marinette’s disappearance.

To his surprise there was a video of Ladybug’s kidnapping, he never noticed Alya was there. She really did anything for her fans.

Suddenly Adrien shot up to his phone turning black with a purple logo in the center.

“Hawkmoth.” He growled

It was enough to wake up plagg who floated over to the phone.

“What is it, kid?”

Adrien turned his phone horizontal and held it between plagg and himself.

The symbol faded away to the face of the akuma. This only made Adrien more enraged.

The akuma laughed and called out all the people who had wronged her with a devilish smile on her face.

When she got to the last one, she turned the camera to face her hostage…

“Ladybug.” She spat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There isn't an excessive amount of gore if anyone is worried about that, however, I do already have another chapter up!


	4. Hostage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is not much to be said, I wrote this yesterday and am currently writing chapter 9!

Rustic grey walls.

It was the first thing she saw, and it could very well be the last.

“Oh, look she’s finally awake after a full week!”

Ladybug was too sleepy to open her eyes.

A few minutes later she was awake again and a little more aware of her surroundings. Opening her eyes, she saw the akumatized figure to the left side of her bed holding her phone as if taking a selfie with her in the back.

“Good morning sleeping beauty~,”

She was awake enough to see herself through the camera. Trying to sit up she looked down and saw herself tied to a hospital bed.

“Or is it afternoon, I guess you’ll never know.” The grin on her hostage takers face was so evil it was enough to tear out her soul.

“I think you deserve a little punishment!”

Before she knew it, ladybug was struck in the cheek, it stung through her body and blood gushed out as if a dam had been broken. She cried out in pain and agony while her hostage-taker cackled towards her audience holding up a bloody knife.

Ladybug watched as the akuma finished the recording and began tapping on her phone.

“Live stream over,” it hummed, skipping over to one of the doors in the room.

Ladybug watched as she happily exited and locked the door, gleefully skipped away through a window until her sing-song figure was no longer visible.

The window was mostly grey, and it was almost impossible to see out of. The room had a high ceiling and a black Tv in the centre.

Ladybug was in the centre of the room with the Tv in front of her. Two symmetrical lights were placed on the walls next to her but in closer proximity to the giant electronic device.

She was still very tired but had finally realised what was going on and nearly had a heart attack. There was no way to get through to rope as it held her down at the wrist, stomach, legs and ankles.

Ladybug estimated that an hour had passed as the view outside the window had only gotten darker. However, she couldn’t be sure of anything.

The wound on her cheek had dried up, yet it left enough blood that it had crept its way down to her chest.

Even longer had passed and ladybug woke up, it was so quiet she felt as if she were hearing things. However, every time she woke up ladybug just felt weaker and weaker. At least she was still in her transformation. Even if she did call a lucky charm it would probably fly up then hit her in the head.

The only thing that was going for ladybug was that Chat noir wasn’t tied up next to her.

Her second torturing had arrived faster than expected and it wasn’t in her favour. Ladybug woke up to being struck in the arm with a bloody knife.

“Who are you and what do you want!” Ladybug screeched, immediately getting a slap in the face.

“You talk when you are spoken to bug.” The akuma spat.

“I’m your worst nightmare, Dark Volpina.”

“Lila?” Ladybug asked unphased.

Her only reply was a smirk.

“What I want ladybug…is what any akumatized buffoon wants.” She replied, returning to the floating live stream.  
“And additionally, to make your life hell just like you did to me.” She remarked.

“You’re no different to any other akuma Lila, all you want is to retrieve something for someone too lazy to get off their butt and revenge.”

Completely stunned the akuma turns to face her hostage, then the anger boiled to the surface.

“I could easily kill you, ladybug! I don’t know why you’re still trying to defend yourse-”

“Then do it Lila, I don’t have anything to live for.” Ladybug snapped.

Completely taken aback Lila thinks to herself.

“Then I will do it and all your family can watch you suffer, nice and slow.” She hummed retrieving the bloody knife from a bedside table only just out of ladybug’s reach.

Lila, or ‘Dark Volpina’, had been wearing her typical outfit but with some adjustments. In place of her flute was a pouch, the same colour as the rest of her costume, black. However, on her tail, it trailed from black to white and additionally, there were a few white stripes randomly placed throughout the design.

“If you kill me, Lila, like you so clearly want to, who’s going to tell you where the miracle box is?”

Almost immediately a purple butterfly mask appears on the face of Lila only making ladybug smirk.

While she appears to be distracted and talking to hawkmoth ladybug looks the live stream dead in the eyes and mouths the words, “Glass, and roof.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter or 2 out tomorrow, possibly taking a break towards the weekend :)


	5. Glass and Roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to Adrien's point of view shall we?

Adrien was horrified to see the things Lila had done to ladybug the live streams even made plagg squirm. He couldn’t imagine the pain upon Alya and the rest of the city.

However, he knew there was no time to play around, he had to find his lady if it was the last thing he did.

After the live stream ended and he had paid attention to every detail he decided to start taking notes on what happened.

3 days later around the time Chat was ready to go find his lady, the room is suddenly filled with gasps, forcing him to look up.

On the whiteboard of Ms Bustier’s class, there was the same black screen and purple logo at the start of every live stream.

Everyone immediately covered their eyes, hugged their loved ones, or if you were Alya, taking out your phone.

“Another live stream?” ladybug muttered to herself, in the last three days Ladybug’s pain had only gotten worse and worse.

There were cuts on her arm that managed to cut through her suit, both cheeks had been struck and bled out. And only last night Ladybug’s leg was deeply cut.

Ladybug nearly fainted from the pain and bleeding out. Every time she refused to give up the miracle boxes’ location was a new cut.

“This time ladies and gentlemen, we have three special guests!” Lila informed, placing her blood knife back into her pouch.

Special guests were never a good sign, last it was Mayura and she nearly stabbed ladybug in the head. And three guests, Ladybug was probably doomed.

“First comes Mayura, again let’s not forget her devotion to stabbing ladybug in the head,” 

Lila’s akumatized personality was almost as bad as her regular personality, almost.

Mayura walks through the usually locked door to find ladybug, drenched in blood ready to pass out.

“And then it issss,” Lila begins dramatically.

Mayura, who is standing just beside the door opens it and much to ladybug’s horror, guest two arrives.

“Well, ladybug you have made yourself comfortable.”

That was it for Adrien, he had to find her and he had to do it now. Quickly he pulled max to the hallway.

“Max, can you track down where ladybug is being held? I know how to contact Cat noir.” Asked Adrien hastily.

“Y-yes, how do you know Chat Noir so well?” Replied Max.

“There’s no time Max I need the address.” Adrien Chastised, he couldn’t stand knowing who ladybug was stuck in the same room with, defenseless.

“One second Adrien…ok they’re at the old, abandoned warehouse by 21 street.

“Thanks, Max I owe you, wait here,” Adrien answered, already halfway down the stairs, phone in hand.

“H-hawkmoth?”


	6. Eternal Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is only one question you're asking... did Chat make it in time?

Ladybug could barely move she was drenched in blood and full of agonizing pain.

“Where are the miraculous…ladybug?” Hawkmoth asked, he and Mayura were closing in on her.

“I-h-ha,” At this point ladybug wasn’t stuttering from nervousness, she couldn’t frame sentences properly through the pain.

Ladybug nearly passed out when hawkmoth punched her, instead she vomited blood, and tears formed in her eyes from the agony.

Then Lila, who was enjoying her pain, grabbed hold of the bloody knife from her pouch, holding it to her throat.

“Tell us or you can find out what eternal sleep feels like.”

Chat noir was horrified, he was closing in on the location and watching the stream from his phone.

“Never… you will never leave me ladybug.”

A giant crash erupts, and glass fills the room, the glass roof had collapsed in the left corner of the warehouse.

There stood her beloved Chat Noir with another behind him while glass shattered around them.

Their eyes met.

“I know you want the miraculous hawkmoth… but at what cost?”

All Ladybug could see was Lila holding a knife to her throat, chat noir in the background, and hawkmoth ready to attack.

And then… it went black.

The moment ladybug had mentioned the glass roof things started to click, he had a plan, he just had to activate it too early. As Adrien had left the school in a black leather suit, he was stopped by a glowing teal portal and Bunnyx, handing him a miraculous…

The bunny miraculous.

More and more made sense as he got Max to get Alex, Kim, and Juleka from the class. However, two were just a ruse. Now was the time for a new ally.

Soon Bunnyx was by his side, and she was all he needed to put his plan into motion.

It wasn’t an eternal sleep… It was an awakening.

He had known that ladybug wouldn’t be killed without hawkmoth getting information from her. However, when ladybug was punched to the point of blood and a knife was held to her throat? That was when the bomb went off, the time for action, and there he went, smashing through the “Glass Roof.”  
Nothing or no-one would ever get in between Chat Noir… And his lady.

His time of action couldn’t have been at a better time, no one had been prepared for his arrival, nor for his companion.

Chat noir had the upper hand, and an uppercut towards his enemy, a tooth was lost from hawkmoth and some blood off Mayura. It was an epic battle and there was no declared winner until chat noir was smashed into the wall, possibly breaking his arm.

“I’m always a step ahead of you foolish children, and now I have my wish.” Hawkmoth glared at his fallen enemy, pounded into the wall, and struggling to breathe.

Then he went off to his other enemy, the one covered in blood and barely holding open eyes. The bloody knife was taken from the hands of Lila, cowering in the corner looking back on what she had done.

Ladybug’s eyes opened for one last time, to see her enemy about to drag a knife through her skull and into her brain.

There was nothing she could do but watch… as her story came to a close.


	7. Suffer, for whom?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just as her fate had been sealed, something changed...

Ladybug’s fate was sealed, and her partner was only just managing to get up from the floor. His eyes locked with hers and he said it all… it was over.

However, there was one not pinned to the ground… suddenly there was a glowing, teal, portal, and it only made Chat smile.

Soon Hawkmoth was the only one with a knife to his throat, Bunnyx shoved him to his knees where she ripped his miraculous from him before he had a chance to gasp for breath.

“F-father?” 

The smile on his face left as fast as his mother had.

Hawkmoth looked up, he suddenly recognised that voice and a chill ran down his spine.

Almost frozen in shock the black cat turns to the wielder of the peacock miraculous.

“Natalie?”

“Mayura makes eye contact with the boy and nearly cries. They lost…? She couldn’t hurt Adrien she was as if her own son.

Suddenly there was a growl from Lila as she propelled herself towards Bunnyx. Caught off guard Bunnyx finds herself on the ground, however, still in possession of the butterfly miraculous.

Then “Dark Volpina” rushes to ladybug and snatches the earrings so hard of her head she bleeds. The transformation drops and she watches with delight as her hostage passes out from the blood loss.

“M-Marinette!” She shrieks

The pale and lifeless form of Marinette Dupain-Cheng is revealed to the whole of Paris witnessing the live stream.

It wasn’t true it couldn’t be…right?

Chat Noir darted to his lady only to see his princess bruised, cut, and stabbed.

Anger rose within him, boiling his blood and burning anyone who was to touch his skin in the slightest way.

Then he found somewhere to direct it, screaming at his father and to the still akumatized, Lila Rossi he nearly made the roof shatter for a second time. Now was when he had to take action.

Chat noir snatched up the live stream and spilled the address to the millions of people watching. Before smashing it to the ground.

Before he knew it, the cops were nearly there, and he had already tied up his own father and dark volpina.

“Where is Mayura?” Chat Noir asked, still not completely simmered down.

“SHES GETTING AWAY!” Bunnyx screeched, watching the rest of the glass roof collapse from being run over like Elsa, of course, it wasn’t Elsa, it was Mayura with the butterfly miraculous in hand.

“I’ll go, you stay and wait till the cops arrive!” Bunnyx yelled over the noise, using her power to catch up to Mayura faster.

Chat watched as the two ran off but was caught slightly off guard when SWAT came bursting through the entrance, guns drawn.


	8. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There wasn't much hope left... but there was not none either.

Before he knew it, Adrien was sitting next to his lady in the silence of a warehouse, full of shattered glass and blood. His father was off to jail and Lila to court, hopefully not getting any less of a punishment than she deserved.

In his hands were the miraculous of the cat and bug, that could together… grant a wish. He knew his lady would rather die than anyone else, but she wasn’t here to make that decision and that was part of the problem.

Adrien didn’t know if she was dead as he refused hospital treatment for her, he didn’t know what the miraculous ladybugs could do to help, but he did hold on to small hope.

“Spots on…”  
Adrien stood from his position and looked over his lady.

A small lucky charm escaped the boy’s lips and a book of sorts dropped into his sorry hands. A book on grief, “Losing a loved one”.

That surely wasn’t a good sign. Bugaboy, as his lady called him, flipped some pages before giving in. Tears filled his eyes and heart.

“Miraculous ladybug…?” Chat whimpered as he threw the book into the air, hardly able to control his tears.

The ladybugs swirled around the room, fixing the smashed roof and cleaning the shattered glass.

He missed his lady saying those words and even more, he missed his lady. Hope had died and Adrien fell to his knees, removing the earrings.

What would he ever do without her? They were a team.

You and me against the world Milady.


	9. The half that will never be whole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the final chapter! What happens to Paris and to Chat's beloved lady? Read to find out

She awoke, dazed and confused, but this wasn’t- what had happened to-

Each confused thought clouded the judgment of the other until she sat up. Looking around she only saw white everywhere, was she in heaven, is this her end.

Soon, Marinette blinked her way from white… to the abandoned warehouse.

She was lying on the hospital bed. Her last memory was hawkmoth lingering over her ready to scoop the truth from her brain.

She was lying down, looking around in horror as everything was where it had been when she was first a hostage. Did she go back in time? What happened?

Then she catches eyes on golden locks shimmering in the sun, by the end of her bed. Trying to speak but she was still mostly in shock that she was alive, unless… she wasn’t.

Adrien heard the breezy wind hitting the windows, at least it was peaceful, but it would never be the same without his lady. He hadn’t quite put together the pieces of how ladybug was beside him the whole time, as Marinette, and he might never get to.

He was thinking of standing but he knew there wasn’t enough willpower or common sense in him to leave his lady, even if she already had. Adrien looked up to see something moving under the covers at the end of the bed. Startled he raised the covers to see her feet, trying to grab his attention.

Looking up at the face where Marinette lay, he nearly died of shock himself.

Giving the biggest smile possible was his partner, his friend, the only one he lived for…

“M-Marinette?” He almost screamed it to the entire world out of joy and confusion.

Her smile only grew as tears rolled down her cheeks and both locked eyes.

Before she knew it Adrien had darted up from his position to give her the biggest hug possible, and never to let go.

Soon Adrien had been cuddled up on the bed with his lady, she stroked his golden locks, letting them glow in the sunshine.

“Wait, aren’t you wondering about Chat, ladybug?”

A smile crossed her face and it lit up his world.

“You are clueless…” she sighed, “Around a month ago, I saw you de transform, you should be more careful Chaton.” She implied, still with a smile on her face.

Adrien didn’t even care she didn’t tell him, at this point he was just happy he was by her side.

After a while, something for Marinette then clicked then she tensed up.

Adrien noticed almost instantly.

“C-Chat, did you trade the miraculous for me?” Worry crossed her face as she watched Adrien’s head rise so that he could see her.

He smiled and pulled her earrings and his ring from his pocket. However, it did the opposite of soothing her.

“Agreste I swear on my life if you merged those miraculous an-,”

“Marinette!” 

She stopped and looked him in the eyes.

“The miraculous ladybugs did… and I know they can’t save the dead but, maybe you weren’t dead.”

She continued to stare him in the eyes until it was clear he wasn’t lying, she sighed with relief.

Then as Adrien placed the miraculous on the bedside table and went back to snuggling. A feeling suddenly came back to her, A feeling of comfort… she felt safe, for the first time in 2 weeks. She was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! make sure to check out my page for more Miraculous ladybug content.

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out 'sickness in the wrong colour' on my page it was a big hit! :)


End file.
